Yes… if you are actively engaged in the battle to advance the Gospel in the world, you will get beaten up occasionally. Honestly, you will probably get knocked down… maybe even knocked out now and again. It is no coincidence that the writers of the New Testament often used military references to describe Gospel engagement. We are indeed embroiled in a spiritual battle that grows more intense as time moves closer to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- yes… we may experience hurt, heartache, betrayal… sometimes even from within the religious establishment (Acts 5:17-18, Acts 5:40)
- yes… we acquire scars in service for the King of kings (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)
- but… He experienced it first (John 20:20)
- and… He said that if the world hated and persecuted Him, it would do the same to us (John 15:18-25)
- so then… let us join with the voices of Peter, Paul and many others and proclaim that we are thankful to be counted worthy to suffer for the Name above all names, Jesus (Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:12-14)
- and… get up, shake off the attempts of the enemy to bench us, to get us out of the battle, to discourage us (1 Timothy 1:12)
Take a deep breath my brother, my sister… the battle is worth it. Get back in there and fight! The escalation of spiritual madness and strife in the world is a sign of things to come. I know that apocalyptic preaching is not very popular these days. We seldom hear impassioned warnings from the collective pulpits of our denomination concerning the Second Coming, but the reality of the imminent return of the Lord Jesus is very very real. My heavens, I do not know how any believer could not sense it in his or her spirit. I suppose, over the years, we have allowed other denominations to wrestle that sense of urgency away from us. However, my dear wounded warrior friend, take heart and remember what Jesus told us in Luke 21:27-28… “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
